How to determine which switch port a server is connected to

[jscagli0ne]

This may be basic network management (or not), but I am trying to find out what switch port of what switch a server is connected to. All of our switches are Cisco. I have the IP and MAC address of the server. Does anyone have an easy method of performing this task? I've never had to do it so I have no idea how to find it other than physically looking for the server connection.

[cscfitzie]

If the switch is running CatOS, try the "show cam" command. If you are running IOS, try "show mac-address" command. Both commands have switches which would dump the whole list, or allow you to list individual MAC addresses, as well as a few other settings. If you don't know what you're running, try a "show version". CatOS typically will be <8.x, and IOS will be >11.0.

The output will show the port and VLAN the device is attached to. Devices that show up on a trunk are on another switch.

Note: CatOS uses xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx format, while IOS uses H.H.H format for the MAC addresses.

Depending upon how many switches you are talking about, you don't need to use CiscoWorks. However, it will generate a report that could show all ports on all switches, as could any other SNMP based manager.

[peterledwidge]

Hi,

I'm not sure if you use Cisco works

On an IOS device.

switch#ping 10.0.0.17

switch#sh ip arp 10.0.0.17

Internet 10.0.0.17 228 0009.446b.641b ARPA Vlan1

switch#sh mac-address-table add 0009.446b.641b

Unicast Entries

vlan mac address type protocols port

-------+---------------+--------+---------------------+--------------------

1 0009.446b.641b dynamic ip FastEthernet3/24

I also find it useful to add a description to he interface

config t

int fa3/24

des Connection to Serverx - ip 10.0.0.17

Of course this also depends on how large your network is but you can tackle one switch at a time or divide up the work.

HTH

[jscagli0ne]

I eventually traced the server by doing a 'sho mac-address-table' and went from switch to switch to find the fastethernet port. Your method makes things go much quicker though! Thanks!

[bberry]

I use a tool from Solarwinds that can do a port mapping of any Cisco switch. All it requires are the IP address of the switch, the community strings and and IP address of the core router. It automatically pulls all the tables and cross references IP address and mac for all ports.

www.solarwinds.net

[moazzam.ali]

Hi,

There are few different tool sets available at Solarwinds. Can you please tell me which one you are talking about.

Thanks,

[mlipsey]

Probably Cirrus; We use it and it can do this but in my experience it is hit and miss on the results.

[dave.keith]

One more method to add to the others already suggested ...

The Cisco Network Assistant software, a free download, provides some nice screens for finding machines. You can see all MACs in a switch in a nice sortable window (by MAC, by port, etc), and flip between switches (within what CNA calls a 'community') very quickly using a drop-down selection. Have a look. While it is intended as a switch management tool for small (under 20 devices) network, it has some features like this that make it a good general purpose management tool for networks of any size.

Dave